What Keeps You up at Night?

Recently, I was engaged (as I am twice a year) in chess games.  I was engrossed in game after game trying to master tactics and strategies to capture the opponent's pieces and ultimately entrap his/her king. 

After a particular evening of play, I found myself obsessed with one specific game where I had misplayed a certain move - not by accident but by poor forethought.  The result of my move, was that I lost a pawn, and ultimately I lost the game for this very same poor move.  The loss of a pawn is what kept me up that night.

Perhaps you are thinking, "Seriously!?!, a lost pawn is what keeps you awake at night?"  It certainly seems trivial as I type it out.  Sleepless for pawns.  Luke 15 records for us a parable of a shepherd with 100 sheep, but when 1 was lost, he left the 99 to seek the 1. 

Now, I know that God does not sleep (Psalm 121:3), but if He did, what would keep Him awake at night would be the lost pawns on His chessboard. 

I do not mean to imply that God would have had poor forethought, nor that He would be anxious for their safety since He is in control of all things.  I am merely stating that the things that are of concern to God are far more significant than a silly game.  Why is it that I am not sleepless for the lost pawns on God's chessboard rather than for the inanimate pawns on a silly gameboard?  Am I moved by the things of God?  Am I concerned for the eternal, or am I consumed by the ephemeral?

Worshopping

I recently finished the book Radical by David Platt, and it is a very compelling book, challenging the Christian reader to question whether we are serving the God of the Bible or the God that our American culture has created for us.  One of the topics that he addresses is what I'll denote as "worshopping". 

Here in the US, where Christianity costs us nothing, where persecution consists of a funny look on a bad day, and where we live under the prosperity gospel, Christians tend to "shop" for a church that is right for them - one that meets their needs.  We visit around seeking a church that has just the right music program; preacher; children's service; building, building program, or lack of one; recovery ministry, education program; etc.  We don't worship the Living God, we "worshop" for a church that represents the God we have created in our image.

How do we change this Christian cultural norm? 
Let's get real with God.  Let's seek His heart and His desires.